Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG". History Formation In April 1990, Genichiro Tenryu, one of the top stars of All Japan Pro Wrestling, left the company to become a spokesmodel for Megane Super, at the time one of the best-known makers of eyeglasses in Japan. But the company instead used him as the launching pad for a new pro-wrestling circuit, which Megane Super executive Hachiro Tanaka named Super World of Sports. With his backing, Megane Super began throwing money offers around to build up their roster. Yoshiaki Yatsu, Ashura Hara, Shunji Takano, The Great Kabuki, Hiromichi Fuyuki, Tatsumi "Koki" Kitahara, Masao Orihara, Isao Takagi (the future Arashi), and referee Hiroyuki Unno joined in from All-Japan. But SWS would attract New Japan Pro Wrestling talent as well, including George Takano (the former Cobra), Naoki Sano, Hisakatsu Oya, Akira Katayama, former superstar yokozuna (grand champion in sumo wrestling) Koji Kitao, and Stampede Wrestling powerhouse Dino Ventura (605 lb bench press) who had extraordinary MMA and technical wrestling skills. Because of this, fans, wrestlers, and administrators of other Japanese promotions criticized SWS as being a "money puroresu" because of the way wrestlers flocked to it. The feeling was compounded when in October, SWS signed a working relationship contract with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, for interpromotional purposes. Working relationship with the WWF The SWS/WWF co-promotion produced several cards, including three shows at the Tokyo Dome. The events took place on March 30, 1991, and December 12, 1991 (The March show saw a near-shoot between former sumos Kitao and Earthquake). SWS also had a small agreement with two smaller Japanese federations, Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre and Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Fujiwara Gumi (shoot-style wrestling), which provided alternative matches and opponents to the cards. SWS's peak coincided with the general Japanese economic downturn of the early 1990s. As Megane Super began withdrawing its support, the company began running fewer cards, and in May 1992 Yatsu withdrew. On June 19 1992, SWS held its final card at Nagasaki International Gym. The promotion's talent split into the following federations: Yatsu's SPWF; Tenryu's new promotion, WAR, including Hara, Fuyuki, Kitahara; NOW, including Kendo Nagasaki, and PWC, including the Takano brothers and Takagi. Wrestlers Main roster Unlike many wrestling promotions, SWS had a wrestling roster that was divided into three stables, reminiscent of the sumo heya system. Revolution was mostly AJPW alumni, Palaestra was mostly NJPW alumni, and Geki Dojo were neutrals led by a heel manager, KY Wakamatsu. Revolution *Genichiro Tenryu, leader *The Great Kabuki *Koji Kitao *Ashura Hara *Takashi Ishikawa *Samson Fuyuki *Tatsumi Kitahara *Masao Orihara *Nobukazu Hirai *Toshiyuki Nakahara *Yuji Yasuraoka Geki Dojo *KY Wakamatsu, leader *Kendo Nagasaki *Yoshiaki Yatsu *Goro Tsurumi *Shinichi Nakano *Isao Takagi *Koji Ishinriki *Hiroshi Hatanaka *Hikaru Kawabata *Tetsuya Yamanaka Palaestra *George Takano, leader *Shunji Takano *Naoki Sano *Kenichi Oya *Apollo Sugawara *Fumihiro Niikura *Akira Katayama *Don Arakawa Visiting wrestlers World Wrestling Federation *Randy Savage *The Brooklyn Brawler *The Bushwhackers (Luke and Butch) *The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond) *Greg Valentine *Ted DiBiase *The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) *Boris Zhukov *Koko B. Ware *King Haku *Tito Santana *Jimmy Snuka *The Warlord *The Barbarian *The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) *Earthquake *Demolition (Smash and Crush) *Hacksaw Jim Duggan *The Ultimate Warrior *Sgt. Slaughter *The Texas Tornado *Mr. Perfect *The Road Warriors *Hulk Hogan *Tugboat / Typhoon *Power and Glory (Paul Roma and Hercules) *Paul Diamond *Pat Tanaka *Rick Martel *The British Bulldog *The Berzerker *The Undertaker *The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake) *Ric Flair *Jim Powers *Giant Kimala Foreign freelancers United States *Killer Tim Brooks *Chavo Guerrero Sr. *Jeff Jarrett *Kenny The Striker *Bob Orton Jr. *Rochester Roadblock *Chris Walker *Jeff Wheeler *Snake Williams Canada *Giant Goliath *Dino Ventura Mexico *El Dandy *Atlantis *Bestia Salvaje *Emilio Charles Jr. *Jerry Estrada *Comando Ruso *Blue Panther *El Satanico *Guerrero El Futuro *Arkangel De La Muerte Other *Kato Kung Lee (Panama) *Chris Adams (wrestler)|Chris Adams (England) *Gerry Morrow (Martinique) *The Samoan Swat Team (Samoan Savage and Fatu) (Samoa) Guests from other Japanese promotions Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi *Masakatsu Funaki *Yoshiaki Fujiwara *Minoru Suzuki *Wellington Wilkins Jr. *Jerry Flynn UWF Lucha/Federación Universal de Lucha Libre *Gran Hamada *Yoshihiro Asai/Ultimo Dragon *Punish/Coolie S.Z. *Crush/Bulldog K.T. SWS championships SWS never had a Heavyweight Championship. SWS Light Heavyweight Championship SWS Tag Team Championship References Category:Promotions